Iran and Britain Moderating Tone

Nasser Karimi and Robert H. Reid write for the AP that both Iran and Britain are “backing away from tough words”. Iran’s chief negotiator Ali Larijani said that his priority “is to solve the problem through proper diplomatic channels” and that Iran is “not interested in letting this issue get further complicated.”

Britain responded by saying that both countries has a “shared desire to make early progress” in resolving the dispute as soon as possible and that – in the words of a British Foreign Office spokeswoman – “there remain some differences between us, but we can confirm we share his preference for early bilateral discussions to find a diplomatic solution to this problem.”

Funmny enough, Larijani “called for all involved to stop using ‘the language of force’.” Perhaps Larijani has to be remembered of the fact that it is Iran that kidnapped the British soldiers, that Iranian students were chanting ‘death to the British’, that it is Iran that said it was considering putting the sailors and marines on trial, andsoforth.

Jews have a good word to describe Larijani’s behavior: chutzpah.

More:

The radio did not elaborate on the supposed changes by the British. But in London, a British official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said Prime Minister
Tony Blair’s government had agreed to consider ways to avoid such situations in the future.

The official insisted Britain was not negotiating with the Iranians and still wanted the captives freed unconditionally.

Sure. If Britain gives in, even one single inch it will be a disaster.